I did c25k a couple of years ago successfully, then had some foot issues that stopped me running. I’ve started c25k again and just finished day 3 of week 1.
I don’t have any cardiovascular problems with running, but I get something weird in my left leg. After I run for a while, one of the muscles in my left shin (I think it’s this one) starts tightening up, it’s a little achy but bearable. The worse result is that it feels like it shortens my stride on the left side. I develop a hitch, for lack of a better term.
I’ve found shin stretches and did them yesterday (without running) and today (before running). No improvement.
I’ve read about shin splints and this doesn’t seem to be that, but I could be completely wrong. When I did c25k before, this sensation did hamper me at times, but I did get through the program.
Do toe taps:rapidly tap your foot like you’re waiting for someone.
3x30 sec. per foot.
Get a bicycle inner tube, hook around a table leg, sit in chair and hook tube over your toes and keep the foot flexed upward. Pull leg toward yourself.
Start with 3X10 reps.
ETA: check the crown of the road, you may want to alternate the side you run on.
Okay for the toe taps, but that second one isn’t creating a coherent picture in my head. Flex my toes toward my shin, then hook the tube and… draw my knee toward my chest?
You may want to check your shin for a trigger point, too (basically a knot in the muscle that can’t release by itself due to a lack of bloodflow/nutrients). You can sometimes feel them as a knot/lump in the muscle fiber; but more often (for me, anyway), I can only find it by pressing my fingers in the general area until I find the spot that hurts like a bitch. (I believe the technical term is “exquisitely tender” and yes, yes it is.)
Once/if you find one (or more), press on it as hard as you can tolerate until the pain starts to fade (a few seconds to a couple of minutes), then release. You may need to do that several times a day for a few days to get it to release completely. Don’t “work it” for very long; it can sometimes irritate the knot and cause further spasms.
Trigger points often don’t hurt at all until you press them, so you may need to go hunting. They often refer pain, too, which makes it more difficult to find them. If you’re interested, I have this book which is a really excellent reference. I’ve used it quite a bit in self-treatment for running related leg and foot spasms.
While we’re on the subject, maybe somebody can help me with this:
It’s been a few months since I’ve done a long distance run over 10 miles, but, invariably, when I get to that distance in my training, I get this weird shooting feeling–it’s not really pain, per se, but like an activation of my nerves–always on the left side, kind of from the top of my shoulder blade, down to my elbow, and further on to the tips of my fingers. It’s somewhat reminiscent of that initial surging shock when you bang your funny bone, but without the lingering pain. It kind of goes in “pulses” every once in awhile and is really distracting and annoying. Shaking that arm out and rolling the shoulder kind of helps, but not much.
Does anyone know what this may be and what I can do to help it? It never happens at distances 7 miles or less. Seems to start happening at around the 9-12 mile level. Once it starts, it continues to the end of the run but, like I said, sporadically. By “sporadically” I mean it could happen a few times with only seconds in between, or I might be able to run up to about 10 minutes uninterrupted.
I’m not going to claim particular expertise in sports medicine, but it sort of sounds like to me that you’ve got some impact shock traveling up from your foot to your shoulder and referring pain down your arm. Since it happens only after a long distance, you could be losing proper running form as you get tired. Are your shoes new? Do you run with a heel strike? Do you have any spinal issues (scoliosis, bad posture, too much time in front of the computer)?
To the OP: I second everything Kaio says. In fact, I was going to type just about the same thing. Massage that sucker. The trigger point (knot/tender spot) may not be exactly where you feel the pain while running. WHen you find it you’ll know.
To Puly: you may be tensing up your shoulder/neck when you run. I find myself doing it to as I fatigue. Try to relax and stay relaxed.
Yeah, this is what I figured it would be, but I don’t seem to be noticeably tense, I try to keep my shoulders relaxed and low, and I do shake my hands out and roll my shoulders deep into a long run. But that’s probably the most likely explanation, as it’s not the shoes nor my posture. I try to keep my strike mid-foot, but I think it’s slightly more towards the heel.
